HC grants bail to student held for post on Indo-Pak conflict; raps govt

'YOU WANT TO RUIN A STUDENT'S LIFE?'

- MPOST BUREAU

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of a 19-year-old student from Pune, arrested earlier this month over a controversial social media post related to Indo-Pak tensions, calling the Maharashtra government's response "absolutely shocking".

A vacation bench comprising Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan granted the second-year Information Technology student bail and allowed her to appear for her ongoing semester examinations. The court also stayed her rustication by the Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, instructing the college to issue her exam hall ticket without delay.

"Is she a hardcore criminal? Are the police bent upon ruining the girl's life?" the bench asked during the hearing. "This is a young student who made a mistake, realised it, deleted the post, and apologised. She does not belong in custody."